Name: Basic butter cake recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 85 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 185 g butter softened; 1 cup caster sugar; 1 tsp vanilla essence; 3 eggs large; 2 cups self-raising flour; 1/4 cup milk

by abrarose Last updated on 02/03/2025

A simple butter cake recipe is one that every home cook should have on hand. It’s a great-tasting cake that can be made to suit an afternoon tea just as easily as it would stand out at a birthday party. This is because it can be decorated however you like: jam and cream, buttercream frosting, a dusting of cinnamon sugar – make it yours!

How to make a basic butter cake: key tips

If you like, after greasing the cake pan, you can line the pan with baking paper. This will ensure your cake turns out of the pan easily.

After the flour is added, stir the mixture until everything is just combined and smooth. Over-stirring can pop all those lovely air bubbles you created while beating, leading to a very dense cake instead of one that is light and fluffy.

Cooling the cake in the pan is an essential step after baking. A hot cake is very fragile and can easily fall apart. Let it cool for about 10 minutes to firm up a little before you turn it out. Cool the cake completely before topping with any frosting.

Key ingredients in this basic butter cake recipe

Use butter (not margarine) that is softened to room temperature before you mix it in, so that it will become well incorporated into the cake batter.

Add eggs that are at room temperature, too, as cold eggs will cool the butter and may cause the mixture to curdle. Adding the eggs one at a time also helps prevent the mixture from curdling.

Whole milk is best for this recipe, adding that little extra bit of fat that helps create a buttery cake.

Here is a lovely buttercream icing you could make to go on this cake, plus some more icing recipes to take your cake to the next level.

This recipe was originally submitted by abrarose, a member of the Australia’s Best Recipe community. Introduction and additional recipe notes by Natasha Shaw.

- Australia's Best Recipes Team

Ingredients

185 g butter softened
1 cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
3 eggs large
2 cups self-raising flour
1/4 cup milk

Method

Step 1

Preheat oven to 180C and grease a 20 cm cake tin well.
Step 2

In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla together with an electric mixer until light and creamy.
Step 3

Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition.
Step 4

Sift the flour over the mixture alternately with the milk, adding a third at a time. Stir in lightly.
Step 5

Spoon batter into prepared tin and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer pulls clean from the middle of the cake.
Step 6

Cool cake in tin for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
Step 7

Cake can be iced or dusted with icing sugar if desired.

Recipe Notes

from Australia’s Best Recipes team

Where in the oven will this basic butter cake cook best?

Before preheating the oven, rearrange the racks if you need to. Cakes are best when cooked in the lower middle section of the oven. If you place a cake pan on the highest rack, you run the risk of the top of your cake burning.

How long will this basic butter cake last?

My guess is it won’t last very long at all! But an uniced cake will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.

How can I decorate this basic butter cake?

You can simply dust this cake with icing sugar or cinnamon sugar, or decorate it with jam and cream. But, if you want to pretty it up for a party, then ice it. Before spreading or piping on icing, use a serrated knife to trim the slightly domed top then, if you have the time, wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap and freeze it for 1 hour before icing. This will help set the cake so that any crumbs won’t become caught in the icing. Sprinkles or grated/shaved chocolate will also make this cake a standout.